Furniture caster



March 11, 1930. J. BERGSTEN 1,749,751

FURNITURE CASTER y Original Filed Feb. 25, 1928 Patented VMax'. l1, I.

UNITED STATES PATENT, oFFicE J FURNITURE CASTEB Original application tied February 25, 1988, Serial No. 256.986. Divided and this application led November 19, 1928.

This invention relates to furniture casters and is a division of lmy copending application Serial No. 256,986, filed February f2.5, 1928.

An important object of the invention is to provide a caster which is adapted to permit an article of furniture to be readily moved from one place to another, and which is adapted to be automatically rendered inop:\f

erative upon increasing the weight on the article of furniture, as when a person becomes seated in a chair.

A further object is to provide a caster which may be rendered inoperative if desired whereby the article of furniture to Ywhich it is applied is not adapted to be moved from one place to another.

A further object is to provide a device of the above mentioned character which includes a caster normally supporting an art1- cle of furniture for movement about the ioor and further includes a fixed support which is adapted to be brought into operation upon increasing the weight on the furniture,

whereby the caster will be rendered inoperative.

Other objects 4and advantages of the inven-A tion `will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings I have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this showing,

Figure lis a central vertical sectional view through the device showing it attached to .a leg of a chair with the caster in operative position Figure 2 is asimilar view showing the caster rendered inoperative by virtue of the increase in the weight on the chair,

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the caster positively moved to inoperative position, and,

Figure 4 is a perspective v1ew of the caster and associated elements. Referring to the drawing, the numeral 10 designates the lower end of one leg of an article of furniture such as a chair or the like. In the present instance, the chair leg is shown as being formed of meta-l tubing, but it w1ll be apparent that the invention 1s not limited in any way to its.'y application to a cha1r or will be apparent that the support is securely Serial No. 320,462.

similar leg of any particular construction. The leg is provided at its lower end with an enlarged portion 11 forming a socket 12 for a purpose to be described, the upper end of the socket terminating in a shoulder 13.

- A support indicated as a whole by the numeral 14 is 'arranged at the lower end of the leg and is provided with a bell-like portion l5 extending beneath the chair leg. The lower extremity of the support is broadened as at 16 and is preferab y provided against its lower face with a layer of felt or similar material 17 to prevent the support from mal-ring the surface of the floor when in contact therewith.

The support is provided with an upper re-r stricted cylindrical portion 18 mounted within the socketI 12. The upper end of the cylindrical portion 18 is closed by a head 19, the outer extremity of which preferably enages againstl the shoul'der 13. The upperl ace of the bell-like portion 15 of the support also preferablycont'acts with the lower extremity of the chair leg, and accordingly it fixed against upward movement with respect to the chair leg.

A cup 20 is provided with an upper sleeve portion 21 slidably mounted in the lower end of the cylindrical portion of the support, and the cup 2O is provlded with a` pair of depending angularly arranged arms Y22. A caster 23 is rotatably mounted between the arms 22 by a pin 24.

A bolt 25 is fixedv at its lower end to the upper portions of the arms 22 and has its upper end projecting through an axial opening formed in the head 19. The upper end of the bolt 25 is threaded as at 26 for reception within a nut 27. A coil spring 28 surrounds the stem or bolt 25 between the bottom of the cup 20 and the head 19. Since the latter is stationary, it will be apparent that the spring normally urges the cup 20 and caster 23 downwardly whereby the caster engagesf the floor or other surface upon which the chair is supported.

, The o eration of the device is as follows:

Each eg of a chair or the like is provided with one of the devices and the several 10J springs 28 are of such tension that they co1- lectively overcome the weight of the chair thus urging the latter upwardly until the nuts 27 contact with the head 19, as shown in Figure 1. Under such circumstances, the chair willA be wholly supported on the floor by the casters 23, the lower end of the support being elevated whereby it isA free of contact with the floor.

positively-inoperative byremoving each support 14 and turning down the nut 27 thereof to move the cup 20 inwardly toward 'the head 19. The vsupports then may be replaced in position, and the casters will occupy the position shown in Figure 3. Under such circumstances, it will be apparent that the chair or other article of furniture upon which 'the device is employed will rest directly upon the felt covering 17,' and the casters will be rendered inoperative under all conditions. Obv iously, the casters may be restored to operativeness by removing the supports 14 and turning the nuts- 27 upwardly substantially' to the position indicated in Figure 1.

Obviously, the tension of the spring 28 will depend upon the weight ofthe chair or other article of furniture in connection with which the device is used. Heavier springs may be employed of course, when the device is used l in connection with heavier articles of furnituref The device is vsimple in construction and 'cheap to manufacture, and readily may be placed in position by sliding the cylindrical portion of the support 14 into the recess 12 in which it will be frictionally held.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is tol be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a support .having a cylindrical portion adapted to be arranged in a socket formed in the lower end of a leg of an article of furniture and provided with a head at its upper end, va cup slidable in the lower end of said cylindrical portion, a stem carried by said cu and projecting upwardly through said hea a caster carried by said cup and arranged therebeneath, a s ring surrounding said stem between the ttom of said cup and said head and normally urgin said caster downwardly, said support being provided with a depending annular portion `having its lower extremity normally arranged above the bottom of said caster,

the upper `end of said stem being threaded, and a nut arranged on the upper end of said stem and' contacting withl theupper face of said head to limit the downward movement of said caster, said nut being'adapted to-be turned downwardly on said stem for moving said caster upwardl and holding it above the lower extremity o said support. l

2. A. device of the character described comprisinor a support having a cylindrical portiona apted'tobe arranged in a socket formed inthe lower end of leg of an article of furniture and provided with a head at its upper end, a sleeve slidable in the lower end of said cylindrical portion and having a bottom at its lower end, a stem having a threaded upper end carried by the bottom of said sleeve and projecting upwardly through said head, a pair of depending arms carried by the bottom of said sleeve,a caster rotatably carried between said arms, a spring surrounding said stem between the bottom of said sleeve and said head and normally, urging said casterdownwardly, said support being pro vided with a depending annular portion having its lower extremity normally arranged above the bottom of the caster, and a nut arranged on the upper end of said stem and contacting with the upper face of said head, said nut being operative for moving said caster upwardly and holding itl above the lower extremity of said support.

In testimony whereof I laiiix my signature.

' JOHN BERGSTEN.

the annular portion of 

